‘No discipline is an island’:Working together to support families

who need it the most

Renée Bennett; Tracey Hopkins, MichellleSouthgate , Aleisha Davis

Newborn Screening Conference May 2013

The Shepherd Centre is a proud member ofFirst Voice, a national alliance of memberorganisations whose primary focus is the

provision of listening and spoken languagefor children who are deaf or hearing

impaired

The Shepherd Centre• Early intervention & Paediatric Implant Program

• Focusing on Listening and Spoken Language (Auditory–Verbal Therapy)

• Interdisciplinary team including Paediatric Audiologists, Child & Family Counsellors,Assessments and Research.

• Programs at 5 centres across NSW & ACT (including one here at the Hearing Hub)

• Since 1970 > 2,000 children, Currently providing services to > 400 families

• Families with a wide range of backgrounds: geographical, linguistic, cultural, SES.

• Children with

– All levels of hearing from mild and unilateral through to profound and total

– All devices including CI, HA, BC, Baha, & a small number of unaided

– Additional needs, late onset, early and late entry to EI, learning English & other languages

Interdisciplinary Team Work

How this works at TSC

Past twelve months

• 6215 Clinical appointments with families

• 1198 joint appointments with families

• 19 % joint appointments with families

Family –Centred Model

“Professionals view families as equal partners.Intervention is individualised, flexible andresponsive to the family-identified needs of eachchild and family. Intervention focuses onstrengthening and supporting family functioning.Families are the ultimate decision-maker”.

Marilyn Espe-Sherwindt, Support for Learning, vol 23, no. 3, 2008

Why a Child and FamilyCounselling Service ?

• Importance of family engagement, expectation

levels of family, cultural differences, parental

stress and family functioning.

• Introducing the Karitane Parenting Confidence

Scale – to identify families early.

Case Example

• Child diagnosed with bilateral profoundhearing loss at 18 months

• No hearing screen at birth – overseas.

• Progressed to CI evaluation

• Bi-lateral CI’s

• Family struggles around keeping CI’s on.

Challenges and Questions

• Are we really as family-centred as we think?

• Is our program as socially inclusive as wewould like?

• How can we do this better?

• How can we use further research, input fromfamilies and services sharing information tomake a difference to families!

Acknowledgments

Listening & Spoken Language TherapistsChild & Family Counsellors Cochlear Implant Surgeons

Donna Sperandio, LSLS Cert AVT Renee Bennett Dr Phillip Chang

Anne Fulcher, LSLS Cert AVT Michelle Southgate Dr Thomas Kertesz

Lisa Nailand, LSLS Cert AVT Alison Hersee ENT Specialists

Danielle Slack, LSLS Cert AVT Sara Luscombe Dr Nigel Biggs

Ingrid Steyns, LSLS Cert AVT Dr Simon Greenberg

Janna Weller, LSLS Cert AVT Research & Assessments Dr Tim Makeham

Jen Whiteway, LSLS Cert AVT Tracy Hopkins, LSLS Cert AVT

Samantha Arnison, LSLS Cert AVT Patsy O'Connell Group Programs/Early Education

Rashmi Hiriyur, LSL Therapist Niamh O'Reilly

Kristin Bayley, LSL Therapist Audiology Team

Ali Corlette, LSL Therapist Yetta Abrahams Clinical Programs Admin

Fiona Deeney, LSL Therapist Kristan Abela Sharon Hill

Jessica Evers, LSL Therapist Shellie Lavery Ann Wright

Jenna Golab, LSL Therapist Katie Neal Katherine Saunders

Joanna McAdam, LSL Therapist Marlene Aoun

Victoria McKinnon, LSL Therapist Information & Analysis Heather Berlee

Amber Monk, LSL Therapist Alyshia Hansen

Ha Thanh Lam, LSL Therapist Yeeka Yau

Director of Clinical Programs: Aleisha Davis, LSLS Cert AVT

CEO: Jim Hungerford

“ Thanks for listening this much!”